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Danger while wading

What is the most dangerous situation you have encountered on the stream? I'll go first: I was fishing the main stem and there was a very strong flow. I was standing in water up to my hips when another angler several yards upstream yelled to me that there was a log coming down. I could not see what he was referring to and then he yelled again and said it was submerged. I moved toward shore just as a log came by bouncing off the bottom. It was about 20 feet long and 20 inches in diameter. Without his warning I think I would have been a gonner.

Re: Danger while wading

Fishing the Beaverkill at 800cfs with a new camera. I had waders on and I was in over my head. I could feel the water pushing my feet over the slippery rocks. I had my new camera held up high so when I fell in, I'd be able to try to save it. Needless to say, I made it across and ran to the car to get the toilet paper.

Re: Danger while wading

My first time out west. We floated the green river stripping buggers with our terribly undergunbed orvis far and fine fly rods. We pulled over to an island with a nice side channel and had lunch. Soon after we started fishing the channel walking and casting buggers while the guide moved the boat down behind us. I went back to the boat to get a different bigger. Picture the boat facing upstream on the left side of the channel in about hip deep water moving at a good clip. I decided to get into the boat to tie the fly on. I was facing upstream between the boat and the bank. I decided it was a great idea to put my right leg in the boat first. I went down pretty fast and sank. I was briefly panicked as I was staring straight up and the drift boat closed in over me. I was thrashing to turn over so I could try to stand. I was half way there when my brother and the guide yanked me to my feet. Ah fun times

Re: Danger while wading

My buddy and I were nymphing the fast water below cemetery pool on the Esopus. He made the mistake of wading downstream to a big strainer (a mostly submerged tree) in hip deep water. I think he was planning to wade out 30 feet or so into higher water to get around it. He got halfway out, where the water was chest high, almost at the top of his waders, at which point he realized he couldn't keep going. You can probably see where this is heading...

The current pinned him against the tree and poured a few of gallons of water into his waders above his belt. He couldn't move at all and was using a lot of strength to avoid being sucked under the branches, where he would have gotten hung up and drowned. Me and a random dude who was also fishing the run jogged into the woods and found a big tree limb, which we dragged back out and extended to him to wrap his arms around. We yanked him out sideways across the current with his waders swamped, minus his rod and net, which we never recovered.

The moral of the story is pretty obvious. Stay the f___ away from submerged trees in fast water, whether you're in a boat or wading. They literally are killers.

Re: Danger while wading

Originally Posted by mudbug201

My buddy and I were nymphing the fast water below cemetery pool on the Esopus. He made the mistake of wading downstream to a big strainer (a mostly submerged tree) in hip deep water. I think he was planning to wade out 30 feet or so into higher water to get around it. He got halfway out, where the water was chest high, almost at the top of his waders, at which point he realized he couldn't keep going. You can probably see where this is heading...

The current pinned him against the tree and poured a few of gallons of water into his waders above his belt. He couldn't move at all and was using a lot of strength to avoid being sucked under the branches, where he would have gotten hung up and drowned. Me and a random dude who was also fishing the run jogged into the woods and found a big tree limb, which we dragged back out and extended to him to wrap his arms around. We yanked him out sideways across the current with his waders swamped, minus his rod and net, which we never recovered.

The moral of the story is pretty obvious. Stay the f___ away from submerged trees in fast water, whether you're in a boat or wading. They literally are killers.

I know the exact strainer you're talking about and a teenage girl died there two years ago. They've since removed it or jes kinda pulled it up on the bank.

I didn't know Dennis well, but he gave me some great advice to fish high on the East Branch one time when the West was a shit show (like it usually gets in late spring). I had the best day I've ever...